Our members have encountered this type of abuse of young people regularly. Our staff have experience in spotting the signs of CSE and also have great knowledge of the push and pull factors.
Our staff looked after a young person who had been a victim of CSE and the effect of the abuse on the young person was immense.
The young person would often self-harm as a form of relieving the pain (both physical and mental). We safeguarded the young person very sensitively and built understanding relationships, the young person would often open up with our members and talk through the suffering and pain. Our staff were very considerate and helped the young person navigate through these painful moments. The time spent communicating on a one-to-one basis was also vital in supporting the police to make arrests and prevent further harm from individual perpetrators.
The young person often would believe the perpetrators are caring and nurturing, staff spent regularly one to one time educating and finding ways the young person can break away from this abuse. This young person could not understand the dangers and also had a minimal understanding of how to remain safe away from the safety of a caring and genuine environment.
Our staff spent numerous hours safeguarding this young person away from the home. Every time the young person would leave the home, staff supported the young person to ensure safety and to also deter potential perpetrators. No matter the challenges, weather, time of day, or location our staff remained committed in safeguarding this young person. When leaving the placement and moving on to a long-term placement the young person was upset at having to go away from the nurturing and caring staff and was also upset that staff could not accompany her to the new placement on a permanent basis.
Staff assured the young person and explained that the young person now has the foundation to build trusting relationships with staff at the new placement and the young person is now leaving in a stronger and more stable place mentally, physically and emotionally. We are confident this young person now has the knowledge and understanding of how perpetrators behave and trick young people as well as exploit them. We are confident of a positive future for this young person.